This invention relates to material handling equipment; more particularly the invention relates to apparatus for handling and storing integrated circuit components.
Integrated circuit components are commonly transported and stored in plastic injection molded trays. The trays have pockets aligned in a matrix pattern on the top side of the trays and will vary in size and shape according to the component's size and the tray capacity. Referring to FIG. 1, a prior art matrix tray is shown. Informal industry standards for tray dimensions have been developed around such matrix trays. For example standardized square tray side dimensions are two inches, three inches and four inches.
Referring to FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C, formally adopted Joint Electron Device Engineering Council (JEDEC) standards also provide tray outline configurations and dimensions for packaged integrated circuits as shown. These JEDEC standards facilitate the use of automated component handling equipment for selecting and picking up components. Such equipment will have the tray placed in a receiver for precise location and robotic arms with suitable pickup devices will selectively retrieve the components utilizing previously stored pocket location data. One JEDEC Publication No. 95-1, provides a tray outline of 322.6 mm by 135.9 mm, and a thickness of 7.62 mm or 12.19 mm depending on whether the tray is a thin tray or a thick tray. A commercially available tray manufactured in accordance with Publication No. 95-1 is shown in FIG. 3 and having component pockets 10.
The JEDEC outline matrix tray format has gained industry wide acceptance for automated component handling. Referring to FIG. 4, jigs are known which have the standard JEDEC outline to fit existing automated component handling equipment using the 95-1 standard format and which have three pockets 11 to receive four inch trays such as the type shown in FIG. 1. Such jigs were machined of aluminum and due to the inherent tolerances both in the tray and in the jigs, did not provide optimal repeatable component location for robotic pickup. Additionally, such jigs did not readily accommodate stacking, were heavy and were expensive to manufacture.
An inexpensive to manufacture jig is needed that would provide positive and repeatable positioning of a tray in a jig and corresponding the components in the tray. Moreover, such a tray should be readily stackable with other such jigs and provide enclosure and protection for the components held therein.